The actual Conquest of Canaan commences in today’s reading of 70.)Joshua chapters 5 thru 8. This time stage or phase will be the shortest of them all. Origins, Genesis chapters 1 thru 11, easily spans a third of history, from about 4200 BC and the Creation to the time of Abraham, about 2100 BC. The Patriarchal Phase lasted from Abraham thru the generations of Isaac, Jacob and Joseph and his brothers, until the time of Israel’s enslavement by Egypt, of which we begin to read about with Exodus 1:8. This can be determined to have lasted for at least 300 years. The Exodus Stage, or time of Israel’s enslavement and deliverance, until this point in time where they are entering the Promised Land was right around 400 years. This is the Conquest Phase, as Israel enters to take the land God had promised to give their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is approximately 1406 BC, and this Conquest Stage concludes in little more than 6 years time, and ends in Judges chapter 2.
With chapter 5, we read of how this present generation of Israelite men had never been circumcised by their fathers on the 8th day, as was commanded as far back as to Abraham in Genesis 17. The manna, or food, that God had provided in the wilderness for 40 years ceased to appear each morning, as the people were now able to eat of the produce of the land. From 5:13 thru chapter 6 is the record of the taking of the city of Jericho, with the note in verse 25 concerning when the account was written. If the Pentateuch was written by Moses, beginning with Exodus 24:4 about 1445 BC, then here we have record that Joshua was written during the time of the life of Rahab, and 1400 BC. Chapter 7 is instructive, concerning Achin, as the Lord accuses Israel of breaking the 8th and 9th Commandments of the Law in verse 11, and Achan, in his confession, specifically states that he broke the 10th Commandment prior to breaking the 8th, in verse 21. When we see and we covet, we will steal and lie, if we do not turn away from that which we have seen and coveted right away. The sense of wanting what another possesses ought to serve as a warning to us to look away, before thoughts of theft and the lies to cover it up are ever entertained.
Concluding with chapter 8, if only Achan had obeyed, he would have been permitted to partake of the booty of Ai. And note, too, that his sin cost all his family their lives. Our personal sins do not go by without touching and negatively effecting the lives of others. Our reading ends with a covenant renewal by Israel on Mt. Ebal as they had been told to do by Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 27. The written record of the actual story of God’s redemption plan for us continues to unfold. It’s what the Book is all about!
ForeverKingdom,
Harold F Crowell
ForeverKingdom's Blog 